Special permits may not be
issued for movements on any state highway outside the limits of
any city or town in excess of the following widths:
On two-lane highways, fourteen feet;
On multiple-lane highways where a physical barrier serving
as a median divider separates opposing traffic lanes, twenty
feet;
On multiple-lane highways without a physical barrier serving
as a median divider, thirty-two feet.
These limits apply except under the following conditions:
(1) In the case of buildings, the limitations referred to in
this section for movement on any two lane state highway other
than the national system of interstate and defense highways may
be exceeded under the following conditions: (a) Controlled
vehicular traffic shall be maintained in one direction at all
times; (b) the maximum distance of movement shall not exceed five
miles; additional contiguous permits shall not be issued to
exceed the five-mile limit: PROVIDED, That when the department
of transportation determines a hardship would result, this
limitation may be exceeded upon approval of the department of
transportation; (c) prior to issuing a permit a qualified
transportation department employee shall make a visual inspection
of the building and route involved determining that the
conditions listed herein shall be complied with and that
structures or overhead obstructions may be cleared or moved in
order to maintain a constant and uninterrupted movement of the
building; (d) special escort or other precautions may be imposed
to assure movement is made under the safest possible conditions,
and the Washington state patrol shall be advised when and where
the movement is to be made;
(2) Permits may be issued for widths of vehicles in excess
of the preceding limitations on highways or sections of highways
which have been designed and constructed for width in excess of
such limitations;
(3) Permits may be issued for vehicles with a total outside
width, including the load, of nine feet or less when the vehicle
is equipped with a mechanism designed to cover the load pursuant
to RCW 46.61.655;
(4) These limitations may be rescinded when certification is
made by military officials, or by officials of public or private
power facilities, or when in the opinion of the department of
transportation the movement or action is a necessary movement or
action: PROVIDED FURTHER, That in the judgment of the department
of transportation the structures and highway surfaces on the
routes involved are capable of sustaining widths in excess of
such limitation;
(5) These limitations shall not apply to movement during
daylight hours on any two lane state highway where the gross
weight, including load, does not exceed eighty thousand pounds
and the overall width of load does not exceed sixteen feet:
PROVIDED, That the minimum and maximum speed of such movements,
prescribed routes of such movements, the times of such movements,
limitation upon frequency of trips (which limitation shall be not
less than one per week), and conditions to assure safety of
traffic may be prescribed by the department of transportation or
local authority issuing such special permit.
The applicant for any special permit shall specifically
describe the vehicle or vehicles and load to be operated or moved
and the particular state highways for which permit to operate is
requested and whether such permit is requested for a single trip
or for continuous operation.
[2006 c 334 § 18; 1989 c 398 § 2; 1981 c 63 § 1; 1977 ex.s. c 151 § 32; 1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 64 § 15; 1970 ex.s. c 9 § 1; 1969 ex.s. c 281 § 60; 1965 ex.s. c 170 § 39; 1963 ex.s. c 3 § 54; 1961 c 12 § 46.44.092. Prior: 1959 c 319 § 29; 1955 c 146 § 2; 1951 c 269 § 36; prior: 1949 c 221 § 3, part; 1947 c 200 § 7, part; 1945 c 177 § 1, part; 1937 c 189 § 55, part; Rem. Supp. 1949 § 6360-55, part.]
NOTES:
Effective date -- 2006 c 334: See note following RCW 47.01.051.
Federal requirements -- Severability -- 1977 ex.s. c 151: See RCW 47.98.070 and 47.98.080.
Effective dates -- Severability -- 1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 64: See notes following RCW 46.16.070.